How should dependent claims be formatted in a PCT application?
Dependent claims in a PCT application should be formatted according to PCT Rule 6.4, as referenced in MPEP 1824:
- Dependent claims should refer to other claim(s) at the beginning
- They should state the additional features claimed
- Multiple dependent claims should refer to other claims in the alternative only
- Multiple dependent claims cannot serve as a basis for other multiple dependent claims
The MPEP states: “Any claim which includes all the features of one or more other claims (claim in dependent form, hereinafter referred to as “dependent claim”) shall do so by a reference, if possible at the beginning, to the other claim or claims and shall then state the additional features claimed.“
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